ArmA and Consoles

[ben_s 11]

Ok, I have a few questions for this community.

With no current plans for a console version for ArmA, I was wondering something.

• What do you all think of the idea of porting a version of ArmA to the consoles, much like what happened with OFP:Elite, Do you think it would be a good thing. Or not worth the time/effort?
  
• Can anyone see any problems with having a version of ArmA ported to a console version? (Hardware, Gameplay, or other problems)
  
• If ArmA did get released for PS3 or XBOX, would you buy it?
  

I know this was discussed, a long time ago. Back before OA. But, I was wondering what your views are now (Especially after the OFP Incidents), and perhaps about future consoles. (??)

I don't know how you'll react to an idea like this now. So, try keep it constructive. :)

[liquidpinky 11]

As long as it doesn't become popular. Then M$ bribe them and it all goes tits up like every other game franchise.

Then the April fools joke becomes more of a reality. http://takeonthegame.com/zombies/

The game bit I don't mind, it is the production crew's values that I would worry about.

On the other hand I am all for the BIS team getting rich as reward for their continuing support and hard work to the A2 community, console version may help out in that matter.

[NeMeSiS 11]

I dont know how well OFP:E sold, it was a pretty cool game but the graphics were outdated and i think it was released at the same time as the xbox360, which couldnt have been very good for sales.

[andersson 285]

It would be good if that happened as I believe that the eilte players were quite happy (never tried it myself). Then I have no clue about the hardware limitations and problematic contracts BIS has to sign to make it.

I wouldnt buy it as the hardware and UI is limited compared to PC, and even if I did add mouse an keyboard the meny system would be consolish... Thats one detail I hate with arma2, the fucking floating console icons in the middle of the screen when I need to reload and so on. It came after elite, I dont know if its coinsident..?

[mrcash2009 0]

Well, I own a pc so I would like BIS focus on that platform, I cant add much more to be honest.

[Tonci87 163]

I definately wouldn´t buy it. Console means no mods, no user made content.

[ben_s 11]

I definately wouldn´t buy it. Console means no mods, no user made content.

Why would that be? Elite had a Mission Editor, I don't know what limits are set on games for consoles.

I don't know of mods and missions would be allowed to be ported over, or not.

[jakerod 254]

I definately wouldn´t buy it. Console means no mods, no user made content.

Supposedly Portal 2 for PC is coming with some kind of Mod support and includes the feature to put it on PS3 Network or Xbox Live or something like that. BI could do something similar. I just think that there are too many damn buttons needed for ArmA II and not enough on controllers. I'm sure you could fit most on it but not all. Could be wrong though.

From Wikipedia:

Portal 2 on all systems will support end user-made levels; on the Windows, Mac OS X, and PlayStation 3, these will be made available by Steamworks, while Valve will provide more direct support for providing these levels on the Xbox 360; some reporters believe they will use a similar method that the developers used for Super Meat Boy to bypass the Xbox Live Marketplace for additional content.[99] The tools to make these levels will only be available on the Windows platform due to software dependencies

Edited April 12, 2011 by Jakerod

[Macadam Cow 1]

Why would that be? Elite had a Mission Editor, I don't know what limits are set on games for consoles.

I don't know of mods and missions would be allowed to be ported over, or not.

Yeah Elite had a Mission Editor...with points...so you had a limited amount of objects/units you could place. Also the points available were linked to the view distance, the greater the VD was the lesser points you had. Pretty annoying when you are used to the absolute freedom of the PC version.

Also, IMO, ArmA with no mods is not ArmA. Of course vanilla ArmA is enjoyable by itself but mods and addons are just a lot more than simply the cherry on the cake. There are part of the back bone of the ArmA series.

I wouldn't have any objection to a console port but I would definitely not buy it (even if I had a console :p). I think it would be a lite version of what we have on PC.

Nice rigs are already struggling to run the game with high settings so I don't know how it would look like on consoles.

Edited April 12, 2011 by Macadam Cow

[Mr. Charles 22]

Also, Disk space must be considered for the 360, ArmA2 and OA would not fit on one disk, so you'd have to split it to 2 or more disks.

[[frl]myke 14]

Hey guys, i have a Pentium 4 @ 3.6GHz with 256MB RAM and a 7800GT with also 256MB VRAM but ArmA 2 runs like sh*t and looks ugly as hell. What can i do?

Now ask again why ArmA 2 isn't ported to consoles. If you don't get it yet, this thread might help you:

http://forums.bistudio.com/showthread.php?t=72181

[SPC.Spets 21]

1- BIS makes ArmA for consoles

2- M$ put an eye on it and offers some money to BIS

3- Arma 3 will looks like OP DR

4- say good by to ArmA

[ben_s 11]

Stay open guys, Consoles do not mean the game would be ruined. Did OFP/ArmA get ruined because they put OFP on Consoles. (OFP : Elite) ?

[nettrucker 142]

Stay open guys, Consoles do not mean the game would be ruined. Did OFP/ArmA get ruined because they put OFP on Consoles. (OFP : Elite) ?

Yes it means exactly that. There's no way that ArmA can run on a console, without being dumbed down, when even high end computer are struggling to run this game. This has been discussed over and over again. I am wondering why this thread is still open for being honest.

Just my 2 cents.

kind regards

Edited April 12, 2011 by nettrucker

[Tonci87 163]

I think the same. Arma simply cannot be ported to consoles without dumbing it down in some way. It would always feel like Arma lite compared to the PC (Besides that most of the console crowd wouldn´t buy it anyway as it is not their stile of play ;) )

[cjph 0]

I think in an ideal world there would be a limited console port of Arma/2/OA which would bring in revenue to BIS to allow them to expand and grow the franchise. Mature players would migrate to the PC version to expand the community.

HAving said that, I got OFP Elite for my old Xbox before Christmas, and try as I might I could not get used to a controller.

cj

[paragraphic l 2]

I guess if it would fit on a disk. Or have the additional data being given through online update (would make it useless without xbox live) it could be some fun, but a some more MP content needs to be given to make it work on consoles I guess.

Even if it would be a Lite version of the game, it's still more than most other games would provide. I could really enjoy just having a 16 or 32player max coop on a console. To bad I never got the chance to play with many people on OFP:E as I really enjoyed that game too. See it as a addition to the Armaverse that's not meant to be the exact same game as the pc version.

Have no idea what the politics would be to publish a X360 game that's as open as ArmAII is with usermade content. But I feel sorry for all the people who said that M$ would be the reason BIS would make low quality content and lose their soul, do you really have so little faith in BIS?!

[Posta 10]

There's no way that ArmA can run on a console, without being dumped down, when even high end computer are struggling to run this game.

I think BIS could do it if they wanted to. I mean just look at how well it runs on computers!

[nettrucker 142]

I think BIS could do it if they wanted to. I mean just look at how well it runs on computers!

Yeah but consoles aren't as powerful as computers, aren't they?

kind regards

[ben_s 11]

Yeah but consoles aren't as powerful as computers, aren't they?

kind regards

And if BIS was to make a console version, it would not be as demanding as PC version, would it?

I think there's a huge genre gap in the Console market for a proper military sim/shooter like ArmA/OFP. And letting console players enjoy the game can bring in more cash, yes, but also introduce alot of new people to the genre and show them.

[nettrucker 142]

It can't be done without heavily modifying and limiting the actual PC version. Don't you think that BIS never evalued a console version of ArmA. They will surely have their reasons why they only developed the ArmA series for PC. Don't you think?

kind regards

[killaalf 0]

Even if you could port Arma to consoles without any compromises and/or limitations, I honestly doubt it would receive a warm welcome there. It's no coincidence that there are no serious simulations available for consoles - the market is just not there, the console demography as a whole is a lot less serious about their gaming than folks on the PC. Sure, there would be some who would appreciate it, but I'd imagine that would be the minority and probably not worth the trouble.

[ben_s 11]

It can't be done without heavily modifying and limiting the actual PC version. Don't you think that BIS never evalued a console version of ArmA. They will surely have their reasons why they only developed the ArmA series for PC. Don't you think?

kind regards

Yes, Maybe they might change their mind in the future.

I was just wondering what the general feel of what peoples opinions are of a console version. It doesn't mean it will happen, or whether i'm wondering it will.

[Mr. Charles 22]

I'd buy it for my 360 (COME AT ME BRO! I AM WAITING FOR YOU PC ELITISTS)

I'd have got Elite too, but i read it wouldn't run on the 360's xbox 1 emulator

[Defunkt 431]

I think the shrewd path would be to release Take On for consoles first because (I presume) it has a narrower scope. At that point (engine port done) it would be more feasible to assess how the same might (or might not) work for ArmA.